Recipe

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Gazpacho Vinaigrette & Halloumi

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Heirloom Tomato Salad with Gazpacho Vinaigrette & Halloumi

Photo by Aliwaks

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe Using Heirloom Tomatoes
A&M's Testing Notes: Aliwaks's multicomponent salad brings together different textures and flavors. The crunchy pita chips, the gooey cheese and the multidimensional vinaigrette all compliment the beautiful heirloom...
Aliwaks's multicomponent salad brings together different textures and flavors. The crunchy pita chips, the gooey cheese and the multidimensional vinaigrette all compliment the beautiful heirloom tomatoes. - Stephanie

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Chef
Aliwaks's Notes: Well didn't I just make this in class last week! It was "salad" day in my H'ors Doeuvres & Apps class, and I was looking and cooking for an A. In class I made Feta & Goat Cheese Fritters...
Well didn't I just make this in class last week! It was "salad" day in my H'ors Doeuvres & Apps class, and I was looking and cooking for an A. In class I made Feta & Goat Cheese Fritters to go with this, but I have access to a deep fryer there. At home I would grill small chunks of halloumi for that salty cheesy bite. I used those big fat yellow tomatoes shop through with hot pink, because that's what they had at my local farmers. I was lucky enough to have 2 different types of cucumbers on hand, which added another dimension to this salad. The Gazpacho Vin" is a fabulous way to use up and small bits and odds and ends from the weeks salad makings. - Aliwaks

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Serves 4

For the salad:

2-3-0r 4 Prettiest Heirlooms you can find Ask a question about this ingredient

1 package halloumi cheese (can sub feta) Ask a question about this ingredient

2 pitas Ask a question about this ingredient

1-2 tablespoon olive oil or Garlic oil Ask a question about this ingredient

1 clove garlic (if you don't have garlic oil) Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup Fresh mint Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup flat leaf parsely Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon lemon zest Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon lemon juice Ask a question about this ingredient

Salt & Pepper Ask a question about this ingredient

Gazpacho Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon pimenton or pimento d'espellette, or just plain old spanish paprika, whatever you have Ask a question about this ingredient

1 clove garlic, smashed Ask a question about this ingredient

3/4 cups Olive oil Ask a question about this ingredient

1 pinch cumin Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup Cucumber, peeled, seeded, finely diced Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup finely diced red onion Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup finely diced watermelon Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon diced celery (peeled) Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup finely diced tomato (use the tops & bottoms!) Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup finely diced red or orange pepper (peeled) Ask a question about this ingredient

Salt & pepper Ask a question about this ingredient

tiny mint leaves for garnish Ask a question about this ingredient

Cut Halloumi in to 1" cubes
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Tear Pita in to irregular pieces @ 1" all around
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Blend herbs with garlic oil, lemon zest & lemon juice. Taste, season with salt & pepper
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Pour herb/lemon mixture over Cheese & Pita bits, toss well
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Remove pita bits and lay cookie rack over a sheet pan, and toast in 350 degree oven, @10-15 min or so till crunchy (can be done ahead and kept in air tight container), alternatively you can sautee these as you would a crouton until they get crispy.
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Set a pot of salted water up to boil & a bowl of ice & cold water for blanching.
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Whisk together, Sherry vinegar, smashed garlic clove, cumin & paprika (or pimenton)...slowly add olive oil to emulsify. (if you do this in blender, consider adding only half the garlic. Taste , adjust seasoning, adding more oil if needed
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Mix the tiny veg dice into the vinaigrette and put in fridge (@ 10 min)
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With a very sharp knife, make an X at the base of each tomato, plunge the tomatoes into the pot of water, count to 10 and then scoop then out with a slotted spoon and plunge them in to the ice bath.*
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Count to 10 again, and then carefully peel the tomatoes.
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Slice thinly, starting at the base and working towards the top
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Lay the tomatoes in slightly overlapping layers on a flat platter or plate. It should resemble a mosaic, or a cross section of a Chihuly glass sculpture. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt & pepper.
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Heat a non stick pan till very hot, add halloumi cubes, and sear on two sides (or you can grill).
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Spoon the vinaigrette across the middle of the tomatoes in a thin line (so it's like a stripe)
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Strew Cheese Cubes, Pita bits and Baby Mint leaves around the platter, sprinkle with additional pimenton if you wish.
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* You don't have to blanch the tomatoes, I do, because it makes them every so slightly easier to eat without using a knife.
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This would be fantastic as a starter or side to a dinner of grilled lamb marinated in lots of garlic & herbs. Or you can easily add a protein to this to make it a main course salad..grilled shrimp, scallops, some leftover lobster, it would also take well to grilled chicken..or white flesh fish.
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